Inez Barron
[Brooklyn]
Council Member Inez Barron is opposed to her Council district being the site for Denny’s Restaurant reported new location on Pennsylvania Ave between Linden Boulevard and Stanley Avenue.
“It is insulting for Denny’s to seek to come into a community that is Black and Latino. Just as we fought successfully to keep Wal-Mart with a similar history of discrimination and low wage workers with minimal benefits from coming to our community, we will wage the battles necessary to keep Denny’s out,” Councilmember Barron says.
“Denny’s racist and discriminatory past cannot be ignored. In 1994, Denny’s paid out an historic $54 million in a class-action suit after black customers all across the United States were discriminated against, refused service, and forced to wait for their food for long periods of time. They were even forced to pay more than white customers. Even recently, in 2011, Denny’s settled another class-action lawsuit for $1.3 million after being sued for not reasonably accommodating a disabled person. This is unacceptable,” she adds.
On the same block where Denny’s plans to open, there are a plethora of such institutions including McDonald’s, Popeye’s, White Castle, Burger King, Checkers and Wendy’s – and a Subways is a block away.
“We don’t need any more unhealthy fast food restaurants paying slave wages in our neighborhood. Enough is enough. Moreover, East New York deserves better. We will not let up in the fight against Denny’s,” Barron says.
Currently, Councilmember Barron is looking towards legal action along with seeking a meeting with owners to apprise them of our community’s opposition to such a disrespectful commercial business coming into an already overcrowded fast food strip.
